San Fran will pass more than their league-low 417 attempts of a year ago. Their defense is shaky on the back end and likely will be without stud linebacker NaVorro Bowman (knee) manning the middle for much of the season.

Much of the 49ers’ passing success comes off play-action, because defensive coaches don’t know if they can allocate an extra man in the secondary. A lessened threat to run the ball allows defenders to cater more attention toward the passing game.

On offense, the healthy return of wide receiver Michael Crabtree and the addition of newcomer Stevie Johnson should impact Davis’ target totals. It is unlikely that he will catch more than 52 balls this year.

Fantasy football takeaway

Make no mistake, the veteran remains a quality option and will post fine season-end numbers. Unfortunately, getting there may be a bumpy ride for Davis owners. Cutting down on his weekly touchdown production means he will need to either catch more passes or average more than his whopping 16.3 yards-per-reception average from a year ago to make up the difference.

Don’t hold your breath.

Looking at cheaper tight end options, you may be better served targeting the likes of the Minnesota Vikings’ Kyle Rudolph, Philadelphia Eagles’ Zach Ertz, Baltimore Ravens’ Dennis Pitta, Carolina Panthers’ Greg Olsen or Dallas Cowboys’ Jason Witten, all of whom can be had for ADPs a full round or more after Davis.

What it means for daily fantasy

Beginning his year versus the hapless Dallas Cowboys, Davis is a top-five price tag ($5,700, 11.4 percent of cap) for FantasyScore users. This could be one of the few weeks that he exceeds such a high PoC and returns worthwhile production.